One Meter Per Second
by Profe
Summary: Dave's community service is at a hospital. A hospital where he meets a boy named John.
1. Chapter 1

Dave Strider used to be a cool kid. He had a lot of dorky friends, had a silly, sweet girlfriend and a kind, supportive sister. He had everything a cool kid could ever want and sometimes more, if you considered his insane yet ironic gang leader bro, a puppet filled house and swords in the kitchen more. But Dave Strider was no longer a cool kid. He stopped being one ever since he took a turn on the wild side. He stopped being a cool kid the minute he smoked his first cigarette, had his first beer and trashed his first hotel room, leaving his date with the damage.

He wondered where it all went wrong, but he already knows the answer. Things were never the same since his bro died. Gang fights, you know how they go. Someone always has to get hurt. Dave never thought for one minute that it would be his bro, though. Even though he gave him a hard time, Dave always looked to him as strong and unbeatable. Someone who carried around a sword that epic had to be awesome, right?

There's always someone more amazing though and in this case it was one Jack Noir: gang leader extraordinaire. But, what really was extraordinary about him? He had the face of a dog, and short messy hair, but that was nothing. He was intimidating, but bro was more intimidating. Everything Jack was, bro was more of, so why was it him that had to die? Dave figured Jack played greasy. He probably waited until they were alone to sick the rest of his gang on an unsuspecting bro. Stupid gangs. Dave hated them all and it was their fault that he was where he was right now.

If Dave had just grown up with his sister, Rose and her mother, he wondered if that would change things. Would he still be the ironic douchebag he was today? Or would he be someone else? He most definitely wouldn't be doing community service, that much was certain.

"Dave, are you okay? You're spacing out again," she looked worried. After everything, Dave hated to see her like that.

"Sorry, Jade, I'm fine. I'm just not looking forward to working at a hospital, that's all." It was understandable, though, that he felt that way. After all, he witnessed his brother die at one.

"It'll be okay. You're only working here for a little while as community service, then you'll be free to do whatever. Well, not whatever. There are boundaries you know, and you crossed them. That's why you're here. Don't forget that, Dave."

Dave hated that she was right.

She leaned forward and hugged him tightly. This was goodbye, he knew. It was goodbye long ago, when Dave started to get out of control. He wondered why she stuck around as long as she did before she finally broke up with him, even when he cheated on her. Did she love him? Well, wasn't he the biggest douche for doing all those horrible things? Didn't he feel guilty? The answer is yes to all, but he was Dave Strider. He was too far gone to care.

"Rose and I are going to lunch with Ms. Lalonde today, but we'll be home by the time you're done. I'm looking forward to hearing how your day goes." And with that, she gave him a casual peck on the cheek and took her leave. Dave didn't know why watching her leave pained him so. It was almost as if she represented his life and all he cared about. All of it had a funny way of disappearing.

"Mr. Strider?" a tall, lanky woman came to greet him at the entrance of the hospital. He turned to face her, pushing his shades up and crossing his arms in their usual fashion. "Ah, I thought it was you," she smiled. "Welcome to the Skaia Hospital for Youth."

"Yeah, whatever," he put his hands in his pockets and shrugged.

"Well," she smiled softly, "care to follow me and I'll show you around?"

Dave didn't speak as she led him down the hallway, pointing out things he honestly didn't give a damn about. She showed him the hospital map and the general area where he'd be helping out and all the while he just sighed and nodded, taking it all in without really taking it in. "Alright, we're going to get you to start cleaning the cafeteria. Don't be bothered if there are some patients in there getting a bite to eat. We encourage you to stay focused on your task."

"So, what, I'm not allowed to talk to the patients?" Dave wasn't really planning on making conversation, but the fact that he wasn't allowed to chit-chat pissed him off.

"We'd prefer it if you'd stay on task," she repeated, still smiling.

What? Dave thought, am I not good enough or something?

"We have the cleaning supplies prepared. There's a bucket and a mop that you can roll down the wheelchair ramp to the cafeteria. Wash and scrub the floors and walls and make sure there's no food or gum under the tables. Some of the patients do that occasionally." She pointed to the janitor's closet, "You'll find everything you need in there. Good luck."

Dave watched her walk off. He shook his head and opened the closet door, grabbing the mop and rolling the bucket out. He unwillingly pushed the bucket down the wheelchair ramp, and in doing so; he passed by a boy in a wheelchair. He was pushing himself up, seeming to be out of breath. Dave heard him mumble, "This would be easier if I could use my legs…"

Shortly after him, a very tall guy wearing clown-like makeup and polka dotted pants ran up, "Tav, wait up, lemme help you out man!" His eyes were lazily drooping down and he had on this smile that told Dave they were similar in some parts. It was clear to Dave that he wasn't sober and for a brief moment, he felt an odd connection to the guy. Shaking it off, he continued on his way.

The cafeteria was a very clean place already, but smells of antiseptic lingered around the front archway making Dave lose his appetite. He pulled the mop out of the water bucket and begrudgingly washed the floors, taking a five minute break every now and then.

He was there for nearly two hours and nearly twenty minutes more before he realized someone had come into the cafeteria and sat down. Dave looked up in time to see the other boy stand up from his seat, leaving his food untouched. He was about Dave's age, but much shorter and weaker looking. He had thick, square shaped glasses and messy black hair with bangs that fell on the bridge of his nose.

"You're not gonna eat that?" Dave knew he wasn't supposed to talk to the patients, but that just made him want to do it even more.

The boy looked up at him, a little surprised. "What?"

Dave knew it was a mistake. He shouldn't have done it, but he stopped cleaning again strode on over to the boy, whose dark eyes followed him the whole time. "You should at least eat something. You're in a hospital for a reason, right?"

He smiled, three teeth larger than the rest peaking out in a cute manner. Dave pushed his shades up, feeling embarrassed for the strangest of reasons: a boy smiled at him. He didn't catch what the boy said to him next before he scurried off, but he was left standing there with a mop in his hand, wondering what, exactly, just happened.

He looked to the table, where the untouched food still laid. He picked up the plate and took a bite of the meatloaf before chucking the rest in the garbage and continuing back to work.

Dave still remembers the first time they met. He still remembers those eyes, those teeth and that laugh. Especially that laugh—it was that very thing that kept Dave going through his time there and it was that very laugh that kept him coming even after everything was over.


	2. Chapter 2

Ms. Lalonde sipped from her wine glass, quietly staring at Dave from across the table. "Well?"

"Well, what?" Dave knew she was asking how his day went, but he didn't really want to go into any more detail than he had to.

Rose kicked Dave from under the table. "Mmf!" he covered his mouth to keep from yelling. Rose crossed her arms, "Dave, you know very well what she means. Just answer her."

Dave often wondered how the two of them could ever be related sometimes, what with Rose's proper behaviour and manners and his complete and utter lack thereof. He sighed, pushing his shades up the bridge of his nose. It had become somewhat of a habit for Dave. He never realized when he'd start to do it, unless Rose or Jade pointed it out first. "It was fine. Community service, what else is there? Do you really even have to ask?"

"Don't be rude," Rose commented, sighing as well. She was really beginning to get stressed over how her brother had been acting over the past few years. It finally caught up with him when he's been taken to do community service. _Just as well_, Rose thought to herself, _maybe this will straighten him out._

Dave saw the look on Rose's face. He knew what she was thinking about. He always knew.

"Well, I can see dinner's over," Ms. Lalonde said. "Rose, help me with the dishes."

Dave slumped back in his chair. Of course she wouldn't ask him. She probably thought he'd break them. She had the right to think like that, though. After all, it was him who lit his school gym on fire. He pretty much figured his mom wouldn't trust him with much for a long while.

"So," Ms. Lalonde started, bringing the blond haired boy out of his thoughts. "You're going back to the hospital same time tomorrow, right?"

Rose looked at him as she washed the remaining dishes. He stood up, shoving the chair under the table and giving his family a glare, "Yes, of course, but you already knew that."

Dave's patience was practically nonexistent. He really didn't want to go back to Skaia the next day and suffer through the idiot nurse that told him not to talk to anyone. But, there was always that one guy—the one with the glasses. For some reason, since Dave came home that night, the dark haired teen had been swimming in his mind. He wondered why.

He sauntered over to his room. There was a ton of memories from his bro still lingering. Sweet swords, weird pony books, unfinished and finished puppets—the most famous being lil' Cal and of course, his shades. Dave kept those guys in a special case, even though they were cracked and broken, they were very important to Dave and possibly the best memory he had of his brother.

He remembered the days he and his bro had the same sunglasses, until he upgraded to more smooth ones. He thought about when he found them at that garage sale with Jade. She thought they were adorable, so he bought them, but he claimed he was only wearing them for ironic purposes.

He looked at the portable turntables he bought at yet another yard sale. Those things were fuckin' badass, man. Dave loved messing around on them, pulling out some fresh new beats. He used to play at the local coffee house with some of his pals, until the simple things like that no longer interested him. Those were the days drugs were all he could think about.

Dave hadn't done any remotely hard drugs for a while now, but that wasn't his own will. Rose, Jade and even his mother had made it their priorities to regularly check his clothes and drawers to make sure he wasn't hiding anything. They even went out of their way to occasionally tag along or follow him when he went out. That was the first time he experienced withdrawal. He couldn't manage to get away from anyone long enough to satisfy his needs, so he'd never been able to get his fix. He remembered how nauseous he felt, how much he'd sweat. It was the worst feeling in the world, but Jade and Rose took care of him. They stuck with him threw the shaking, vomiting, restlessness and they even stuck with him when he'd gotten a nasty case of the runs. That, he was not proud about.

He jumped onto his bed and grabbed his favourite pillow. It had a broken record design on it, much like the one on his favourite t-shirt. He didn't like to wear that shirt much anymore though, seeing as it was permanently stained with his brother's blood. He cursed Jack Noir's name and curled up into a ball on his bed.

"Dave," his mom knocked on his door. "The phone's for you."

Dave knew who it was. She always called him after supper, to make sure he was doing okay, even if she had just left him only an hour ago. He stumbled over and opened the door to grab the phone from her, "Hey, Jade, what's up?"

"Hey, Dave! I was just calling to check up on you," she said, but Dave knew she was lying. What she really wanted to say was: "I'm just calling to make sure you're still sober."

"I'm fine, Jade, you know I am. I'm not doing drugs, I'm not going wild, I'm just sitting on my bed staring at the ugly salmon color of the walls."

Dave could visualize her frowning on the other end, "Okay… Goodnight, Dave."

He hung up and threw the phone into a pile of colourful puppets in the corner of his room and flopped back onto his bed. He knew he'd regret being rude to Jade, but at the time he didn't care. He really wondered why his life was the way it was. Wasn't it good before? Why did he have to mess it up?

He sat up and pulled his shirt off his lightly tanned skin and threw it onto the floor. He looked to his left and slowly made his way over to the bathroom to brush his teeth.

His bedroom and Rose's bedroom were connected by the bathroom they shared. There were two sinks and the moment they moved into their house, the divided up the space. Rose's side was full of purples and pinks and always smelled like blueberries or cherries. It was far cleaner than his side too—almost too clean.

He brushed his teeth for a while. He almost lost track of time it was so long. Dave liked the feeling of the bristle on his gums. It hurt sometimes when he'd been brushing for two long, but it wasn't a bad feeling. Dave thought he sounded weird for thinking such things though and tried to limit the time he spent on his teeth, but it never really worked.

He pulled his jeans off, leaving himself in just his boxers. He flicked the light off and he slipped into his bed, sighing in comfort and smiling as if that horrible version of himself never existed and he was a child once more, just eager to fall asleep so he could start over.

Dave Strider really wished he could start over.


	3. Chapter 3

The second morning of Dave's community service was unusually cold, even for winter. He was almost happy to be in the hospital, with its warm halls and rooms.

He went through his usual routine, grabbing the cleaning supplies from the janitor closet and washing away, bored out of his mind. Boy, the janitor must have been loving life right now, Dave bitterly thought to himself. He walked down the hallway, casually peering inside the occasional opened door when he crashed into a girl. "Hey watch where you're—" Dave trailed off when he turned to look at the girl. She was moving about with her hands in front of her and strange red glasses on.

She giggled, "You watch where _you're_ going!" and continued on her way. Dave watched her leave and scratched his head, puzzled. Should a blind girl really be walking around so free like that?

"Dave!" his probation officer waltzed up to him. She was still smiling even though her voice was angry. Dave really wanted to punch her, but he realized that probably wasn't the best of ideas, considering he was doing community service. "What are you doing here? You should have already finished this floor. How long have you been standing around for?"

"Would you give me a break?" he mumbled, "I just got here, damn."

She looked at him for a moment before sighing and shaking her head, "Just be quick with it, alright? Oh and before I leave, did you see a girl with red glasses pass by here?"

Dave was about to say yes and point in the right direction, but he really hated her and he was sure the blind chic probably felt the same. "Nope, sorry, didn't see her."

She stared at him, then turned around and stalked off. Dave could tell he was beginning to get to her. He smirked to himself, "Good."

Dave continued to walk down the hallway, passing by numerous patients that were all equally weird, including a long haired girl with an eye patch underneath her glasses, a guy with an obvious sweating problem and two arguing, fish faced teenagers. He was beginning to think this place was more of a place for crazy teenagers rather than physically sick ones.

He sighed, rushing pass the small group quickly to continue his work. He just wanted to finish early so he could go home and wallow in his own self pity some more.

"Dave," his probation officer passed by him, tapping her watch. When she was out of sight, Dave stuck his tongue out after her in disgust. Honestly, he was working his hardest—probably harder than he'd ever worked in his life and she had no right to force him to go faster! Well, maybe she did, but that was beside the point.

He sauntered around lazily sweeping at the odd area or two and continued on his way until he reached the stairs to the second floor. He climbed up them, just happy to be rid of the _jail guard. _He walked down the hall, flinging the broom around until he passed by another opened door. He had to do a double take to make sure he wasn't seeing things.

In the room was the same boy that had been flooding his mind since he came to work at the hospital. He was sitting up, staring out the window with an IV strapped to his arm. He was staring at the snow that had gracefully begun to fall since Dave entered the hospital.

Dave didn't know how long he was staring, but the boy turned to look at him with his piercing dark eyes. At first he looked quite uncomfortable with the thought of someone staring in at him, but when he realized it was the guy he met yesterday, he smiled again, those same three teeth peeking out that made Dave blush. He was glad he could hide behind his sunglasses. "Uh, oh, hey," Dave said awkwardly. He figured he should say something. He _was _the one lurking outside some kid's door he didn't even know.

"Hi there," the boy replied. "It's you again."

"Oh, uh, yeah," Dave coughed. "I thought it was you…"

"Well, don't just stand out there awkwardly. There's a lady going around looking for you, you know."

Dave sighed. She was damn persistent. He noticed her not far away and slipped into the boy's room, quietly shutting the door. "How does she keep finding me?"

"She seems strict."

Dave turned back to the boy, suddenly remembering he'd just shut himself in his room. "Oh, yeah, but I guess I deserve it. I mean I did…" he trailed off.

"You did what?" the boy asked, genuine curiosity filling his eyes.

"No, it's nothing. Just forget about it," Dave didn't want some innocent guy to learn about him in such a bad way, especially one he didn't even know. "I just made a bad choice and it landed me with community service."

"I knew there had to be another reason you were here," he chuckled, but that innocent chuckle turned into a rather violent cough. Dave winced as he coughed. It sounded scary to him, like nothing he would ever want to suffer through.

The boy covered his mouth and bent forward in a mix of pained, muffled coughs. Dave didn't know what to do. He just stood there stupidly, watching him with his mouth half opened. He stepped forward to see if he could do anything, but the boy raised a hand and suddenly collapsed face first onto the bed. He let out a long sigh, "I'm fine, don't worry." He grabbed the blankets and shoved his face into them, embarrassed that some stranger had to see him like that.

"That didn't sound like you were fine, man," Dave frowned. "Should I be getting a doctor or something?" Before he could open the door, the boy raced over and grabbed the back of Dave's sweater all in one quick motion. Dave didn't even have time to touch the doorknob.

"Don't call the doctors… Please," he said. "I don't like them…"

"You don't like the doctors?" Dave blushed at their closeness when he turned around to face him. His cheeks were red, and his eyes were half closed. He looked almost like he was about to faint. "I really think you ought to lie down," Dave turned the boy around and directed him back to his bed. He felt almost doctor like and it was strange. It was strange how he got himself community service for lighting his school gym on fire and now he was trying to aid a sick boy in a hospital.

Yep, definitely strange.

Once the boy was back in bed and underneath his blankets, Dave planned to leave before it got even more awkward, but the boy looked at him and asked him something.

"Hey… What's your name?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Hnnnng really short chapter this time guys. It's exam week, sorry! 3**

* * *

><p>"My name?" Dave asked like he wasn't sure. He <em>knew<em> the boy wanted to know his name. When he nodded, Dave spoke quietly, almost like he wasn't sure it was a good idea to tell anyone. What if this boy read the newspaper? He'd know who Dave was right away. _Boy age seventeen sets fire to school gymnasium._ That was the headline of the article, and the body spoke of Dave's horrible behaviour and how he was going through community service after the hearing.

The boy looked at him, as if pressing him on. Dave sighed, knowing even if he didn't say his name; the topic would come up again sooner or later.

"My name's Dave. Dave Strider."

The boy smiled, "I'm John Egbert!"

Dave chuckled softly, wondering what kind of name _Egbert_ was. It was certainly fitting for the cute little dorky boy though, Dave thought. "Uh, nice to meet you, I guess?"

John let out a weak chuckle, but this time, he did not burst into a fit of violent coughs straight after. It was just a simple laugh, but the impact of it made Dave smile like he did when he was younger and his childhood innocence was still intact.

"It's nice to meet you too."

* * *

><p>"Dave?"<p>

He'd been home for a while now, but his mind was hazy. He'd spent the rest of the day with John instead of doing his job, not that the boy seemed to mind, but he knew he was going to face hell tomorrow for it. Even if he got the chance to turn back time, he wouldn't change anything because he had never connected with someone so deeply before on such an emotional level. They hadn't really even talked all that much while he was there, but Dave really felt like he knew him and he didn't want to let go of a feeling like that.

"Dave."

Even though his probation officer was going to lecture him to hell tomorrow, he didn't care. He felt rather accomplished and really, no matter how strange it seemed, couldn't wait to go back.

"Dave!"

He jumped, quickly turning to face his angry sister. "I've been calling your name. Why didn't you answer me? What are you thinking about?" She was holding a plate of spaghetti and a bottle of water. "You didn't eat supper. Mom told me to bring it up to you."

"Not hungry," Dave said, turning away from her again.

"Please eat, Dave. You're making her start to drink again. I saw her after supper with a bottle of wine. She'd already drunk half of it. Just eat, alright?"

Dave sighed, "Rose, I'm not fucking hungry, okay?"

She frowned and shook her head. "I'll leave it on your dresser in case you change your mind."

Once she'd left, Dave went back to thinking. He thought about the numerous times he'd had to hide on the other end of the curtains when doctors came to check on John. He saw how he squirmed—how uncomfortable he was about it and he wondered why.

Just what kind of illness put John Egbert in that hospital?

Dave stood up and walked over to the food his sister left. He did feel bad about making his mother and sister work so hard for nothing and he certainly felt bad about making his mom drink so much, but there was something inside Dave that had no off button. No matter how terrible he felt, when he was forced to do something he didn't want to; this intense rage just erupted from inside of him. That was the rage that caused him to burn his school gym and it all started the day he was offered that stupid joint.

Jade warned him not to, said he'd be stupid if he did it, but he ignored her. He always thought he would be invincible when it came to peer pressure, but when it was actually thrown upon him with such force; he realized just how hard it was to say no.

He remembered how happy Jade and Rose were back then—even his mom. Before everything happened, before he was offered drugs and before his bro died. Everyone was happy then. They went to the quaint little coffee shop and watched Dave perform with his friends, they went skating and had ice cream… Rose and Jade baked all his birthday cakes; they just had a lot of fun constantly doing things, smiling and laughing. Dave cursed himself for taking their smiles away.

He picked up the plate and fork, sat back down on his bed, figuring he owed them this much, and began to eat. He never really ate his mom's or Rose's food that much; he almost forgot how good it was. He ate until all that remained was a little bit of sauce. Rose would be happy and then maybe he could see her smile again.

If he didn't ruin it, that is. Dave strider almost always found a way to ruin it.


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm back! But too lazy to write… so here, have a lazy chapter!**

* * *

><p>"Well, how has he been, Rose?" Jade anxiously twirled the phone cord around her index finger. "He didn't seem like he wanted to talk to me… He's never usually that blunt about it though."<p>

"He was the same with me, Jade," Rose replied. "He was really quite brash and irritated."

Jade sighed, "I see. What could make him act so weird, though? He's been doing okay so far, why the change in personality? Is something going on that he hasn't told me about?"

Rose stroked her chin, "Hm. If only I knew. I'm as confused as you."

* * *

><p>"How about these ones, Dave?" Jade held up a pair of shades in front of her face. "They're pretty cute."<p>

"I don't do _cute, _Jade," Dave chuckled. "I'm more of the cool type. Those shades are cool, if you're a little boy, but I need something a little more… epic."

Jade put them back in their place and giggled. "You are so picky sometimes."

* * *

><p>Dave sighed, rolling over in his bed. It was Saturday. Ever since his bro died, he'd always hated weekends. They gave him too much time to think, especially about every single terrible thing that had happened to him throughout his lifespan.<p>

Often times he would actually sit there and think about how much better off he'd be dead. Of course, he could never bring himself to do it. Dave Strider may have pretended to be cool, but he was really weak. Rose always said people that commit suicide were weak, but Dave really pegged them as strong. To be able to really kill yourself—dive into a world of unknown—you really had to have balls to do that.

He wondered if any of the kids at Skaia had ever tried to kill themselves. Maybe it was the boy in the wheelchair. Maybe that's how he became paralyzed. Or… maybe it was John. Maybe that weak little boy had that much guts.

He really didn't want to invade John's privacy and ask him about such a thing, but the curiosity of why he was in that hospital was eating away at him. He'd never planned to bond with the boy. He just wanted to get in and out as fast as he could without any hassle, but that plan hadn't really worked. Something about John Egbert had drawn him in, but what, exactly, was it?

He jumped off his bed and sighed, running a tired hand through his blond locks. He squinted in the morning light, quickly putting his shades on. He'd worn them so much that his eyes had adjusted to the darkness.

"Dave, get down here… You're… hic…" His mom yelled up the stairs, groggily waving a hand around, "Hurry up!"

"Drunk already?" Dave frowned. He knew it was mostly his fault, but he didn't know what else he could do. He was a time bomb, set to go off at nearly everything.

He pulled open his dresser drawer and grabbed a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Rose told him he ought to dress up a bit, to make himself presentable, but to be honest, he didn't give a shit. He didn't care much about anything anymore.

"Dave… c'mon, boy…!" His mom yelled up again. If she was planning on driving him in this state, she had another thing coming. He rushed downstairs to face his red-cheeked mother. "Iss… 'bout time, there…"

"How much have you been drinking?" Dave looked to her hand, which was holding a wine glass that she was drinking from as they spoke.

"Ssh, just a bit. C'mon, lemme drive you," she said.

"Hell no," Dave said. He knew he was far from the perfect child, but he most certainly wasn't going to get his mother killed. "I'll take the bus, okay? Just go rest."

"I'll accompany you along the way," Rose came from in the kitchen. She looked like she hadn't slept at all last night.

"It's fine, you don't have to," Dave said, opening the front door.

"I want to." She grabbed her coat from on the railing and walked out the front door without another word. Dave knew she only got like this when there was something on her mind. She wanted to _talk_ to him.

"This can't be good…" Dave sighed and shut the door behind them.


	6. Chapter 6

"Dave, look at me."

"What do you want from me, Rose?" Dave sighed.

"I asked you a question. Please do me the favour of answering."

The two of them were seated side by side on the public bus, and Rose had been pestering him since they sat down. Dave didn't want to answer her questions, especially because they all had the same answer: John Egbert. What on earth would she think if he said he was acting this way because of a sickly boy? _He_ wasn't even sure what he thought about it!

"I don't know what you want me to say. I'm just getting my community service over with, okay? I don't want to be stuck in a dreary hospital all winter, all right?" he raised his voice the slightest bit. Not so much that he'd gather the attention of the bus, but as much as it took to get Rose off his back.

She shook her head, "Dave, why are you doing this? This isn't you and you know that. I know your brother has passed away, but that doesn't mean you need to act the way you're acting. Talk to us. Jade and I are both here for you, and so is our mother, even though she is currently incapacitated."

"Which is my fault too, right?" Dave scoffed. He didn't expect Rose to hide the truth from him; that wasn't the kind of person she was. "I know, okay? I know my stupid behaviour is making her drink again. It's not like I'm doing this on purpose, damn it…"

"I know," her voice was softer now, "but, Dave, you have to understand that she cannot handle the way you're acting. Neither can Jade and I. We're only human, you know."

Dave looked out the window of the bus. There was still a good five minutes before they reached the hospital, and he was sure Rose wouldn't just let it go at that.

"It's going to come back and bite you in the butt if you don't stop. Can't you just think about life before your brother's passing? Despite his strange personality and how he constantly criticized you, he really loved you. Mom still has that picture from when you were younger and he was holding you, looking panicked," Rose smiled. "Mom said he was so frazzled and that you hadn't stopped crying. He kept asking her what to do, but you know what else he said that day?"

Dave tried not to show the emotion building up inside him. He didn't want to make a scene.

"He said that, if there was one thing he was absolutely sure of—as he looked at your sleeping face—that he was going to be a really great brother."

Dave looked away. He could feel tears welling up in his burning eyes and he didn't want her to see. He didn't want to show weakness.

"It's okay for you to cry," Rose said, as if she was reading his thoughts. "Everyone cries. It's part of being human. Nobody can always put up a brave face. If you feel sad, you should cry; if you feel happy, you should smile. I miss seeing you smile…"

Dave cleared his throat and took a deep breath, "Yeah, whatever." He continued to stare out the window until he felt Rose suddenly grab his hands, forcing him to face her. She had a stern look on her face, as if she was going to scold him, but she never did. She knew his stop was next, so the last thing she said to him before he got off was, "Dave, you're not in this alone."

When the bus stopped, Dave got off and looked back, giving Rose a slight wave before heading inside the hospital. He really wasn't in it alone. The day he lost his bro, Rose also lost him, as did his mom. He wasn't the only one who was grieving. He knew that.

"Dave, you're early," his probation officer looked surprised as he walked inside. "How nice."

"Yeah, whatever," he said again, moving past her to continue with his usual routine. He would go get his cleaning supplies, pass by a few sick kids and clean for a while until he ditched his officer and went to see John. This time, however, things were different. His officer stopped him before he could take another step, "Actually, we have something different for you today. You've been doing well with cleaning but today we're going to assign you to help out some of the patients, okay?"

"Oh…" Dave said, internally wishing he'd scurried off quicker so she wouldn't get the chance to tell him. "Well, who am I helping? What am _I_ supposed to do? I don't know these people."

"You don't have to know them to help them," she smiled. "Today we have you helping Terezi Pyrope, okay? She's in room 413, on the fourth floor. She's blind and the lady that usually walks her around for exercise isn't here. That's where you come in. Just head on up and she'll take it from there."

Dave nodded and waited until she left so he could sneak up the wheelchair ramps. While he did, he passed by the boy he saw his very first day at Skaia. He was riding his wheelchair down the ramp along with the lanky guy with the clown makeup again. They seemed to be together a lot. Dave suspected they must have been really good friends.

As they passed him, Dave caught a snippet of their conversation.

"Um… w-when do you think I'll b-be out of Skaia, G-Gamzee?"

"I dunno, bro, heh, but no matter what I'll be with you the whole time."

_Strong bond,_ Dave thought to himself as he scampered off. Once he reached the fourth floor, room 413 wasn't hard to find. It was straight down the hallway. He knocked on the door and when he heard a 'C'm in!' he waltzed on inside.

"Uh," Dave looked around the room. There were crayons and markers littered all around the floor and pieces of printer paper that had been doodled on with reds and greens.

"Hello?" the girl was seated on her bed, doodling away on a piece of paper. Dave wondered how she could see anything she was doing. He walked over and looked at the paper, surprised to find that she was pretty good, despite being blind.

"Nice pictures," Dave said.

"Thanks," she giggled, pushing up her red sunglasses. Dave had to give her props. He always respected a good pair of shades.

"Um, I guess I'm supposed to walk you around?" Dave said, although he wasn't actually sure.

Terezi pushed herself up and stretched, knocking over a few stuffed dragons that had been placed on her bed. "Oh, so you're the new guy?"

"Yeah," Dave said, "that'd be me. The name's Dave Strider."

Terezi reached her hands out and touched his face. He jumped, surprised, wondering what the hell she was doing. "Why are you—"

"Shorter hair, pretty sweet sideburns… You're wearing sunglasses," she said, giggling. "You're surprised."

"Well, yeah," Dave pulled his face away, "it isn't normal for someone to feel up someone else's face, you know?"

She grinned, "I can't picture you in my mind if I don't at least feel for myself how you look."

Dave sighed, feeling slightly bad about his reaction now. "Right, sorry. Anyway, should we go?"

Terezi looked at him briefly before standing to place herself right in front of him. She reached out and grabbed his hands, just like the way Rose did.

"What are you doing?" Dave frowned. The sensation was far too familiar and it reminded him of home. He didn't like how she could do that to him by just holding his hands. She was basically a stranger.

"You don't want to be here, do you?" she asked. "I can tell by your voice."

"Well, I don't mean to make it obvious," Dave said.

"When you can't see anything, like me," Terezi said, "you learn a lot by listening to someone's voice. The pitch tells me you're in the peak of your teenage years, but the tone tells me that you haven't had an easy life. You still harbour your emotions, don't you? You're one of those people that thinks it's okay to put up a brave front, aren't you?"

Dave's eyes widened behind the cover of his dark shades. How on earth could she tell all that just by the way he spoke? It scared him. A lot. He didn't even know what he could say to something like that. It was like talking to Rose. She knew what he would say before he even said it. It was almost like she was psychic—her and Terezi.

She let go of one of his hands and pulled him toward the door, "Let's go then, shall we?"

_She completely changed the subject,_ Dave anxiously thought to himself, but followed her nonetheless… Hey, wasn't he supposed to be the one leading?

"Terezi," Dave huffed, flustered, "I'm supposed to be walking you around Skaia, not the other way around."

"Oh, please, I've been here a while now; I know my way around the hospital, even if I'm blind," she snickered. "_You_ are just for safety."

"Like an accessory?" Dave joked, regaining his composure.

"A radical accessory," she joked back.

The two of them walked around the square shaped floor, exchanging brief stories or jokes every so often until they reached Terezi's room for the third time. "Is that enough?"

"Sure," she said. "I don't need to walk around that much. I mean, I'd rather be doodling."

"Right," Dave said, pushing open the door for her. She walked on in and plopped on her bed, grabbing some crayons and her stuffed dragons.

"So, what now?" Dave asked, "What do I do?"

"You're supposed to stay with me," she said, giggling, "but I can tell there's somewhere else you want to be."

"What?" Dave was taken aback. Was it because of his tone again?

"You…" she paused briefly before continuing, "You have the voice of someone who's had a lot of pain, but there's _someone_ you're thinking about—someone that takes your mind off of it."

Dave took a step back. What was she getting at?

"Dave Strider," she began, "are you in love?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi, I'm sorry for the long wait... Also, I'm gonna warn you now this chapter is absolute shiiiiiiiiit. I've been extremely sick lately and I'm not really getting better. Just last night I woke up at 2 AM and my back completely had a seizure. It was fuckin' scary, damn. Anyway, I finally managed to force myself to write this, so don't be too hard on the chapter. I already said.. it sucks. ^^;;**

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><p>"In love?" Dave was taken aback. He really wouldn't say he was in love. He used to be in love with Jade, but since they'd broken up, they had stayed as friends.<p>

She smiled, "Yeah, you're in love, I knew it!"

"What? No, I'm not," Dave pressed his shades closer to the bridge of his nose. He could feel himself getting redder by the minute and he didn't know why. Who did he have to love? Of course, he loved his mom, his sister, Jade and Bro, but there was no one else, aside John, of course…

Terezi smiled, "Sure, whatever you say, cool kid. What I said is still on the table though. I know you want to, so go and see who you want to see."

Dave crossed his arms, irritated. Who did this girl think she was? Nevertheless, he did was he was told and decided that if there was ever a better time to go visit his new friend, it would be now. He figured he should thank Terezi though. She may have been a stranger, but he seemed to understand him more than anyone—even more than Rose and Jade.

"Um… Terezi… Thanks, alright?" Dave mumbled. He wasn't used to thanking people since his Bro died. He'd really just been a huge douche.

"Anytime," she smiled happily, "now, go on."

Dave chuckled, shaking his head, "Mhm."

He exited her room shortly after, leaving her to her drawings and dragons and heading down to John's room. He figured he was probably wondering where Dave was about now since it had been like a routine, his visits.

Dave knocked on his door when he'd reached it and was greeted by a, "Dave, is that you?"

He pushed the door open and flashed John a little smile. John was looking unusually pale that day and he had bags under his eyes that made him look like he hadn't slept for months. "You alright, man?"

"Yeah," he said, but he sounded weak and tired. He was lying down with just his head turned to face Dave, eyes lazily opened. "You came late today."

"The probation officer changed my schedule," Dave explained, sitting down in a free chair. He looked over at the window behind John and pointed. "Hey, it's snowing."

John quickly turned toward the window, widening his eyes, "Oh, wow, you're right!"

"What's the matter? You look like you've never seen snow before," Dave said.

"No, of course I've seen snow before," John smiled, turning back to Dave. "I've just been in this hospital a while and every time it snows, I seem to miss it. I don't think I've been in snow for a few years now."

"Seriously?" Dave was more than surprised to hear that. He figured John was only in the hospital for something small; maybe a surgery, but if he really had been in the hospital for so long… Just what, exactly, did he have that was making him so sick?

John nodded solemnly, "It seems every time I'm able to leave the hospital, I have to come back before it starts snowing. Lame, huh?"

Dave thought for a moment. What he really wanted at that time was to take John outside—to show him the snow and let him feel it on his skin. If he did that, maybe John would smile more; maybe he'd feel happier. If he'd only known what would happen when he did; he probably would have done differently.

"Hey, John, would you like to go outside?"

"W-what? I can't… I'm not allowed."

"If you're worried about the doctors, don't be. I can sneak us out no problem. You want to go out, don't you?" Dave wasn't quite sure if this was the best idea he ever had, but seeing the look of excitement on John's face made him want to do it even more. He knew he could have him out and back in before anyone realized.

"You really think you could do that?"

"I really do," Dave said.

John smiled brightly, despite his weak appearance, "I want to go."

Dave stood up, walking over to the door and pushing it open. Peering outside, he noticed there was no one currently in the hallway. He turned back to John and said, "Coasts clear. Ready when you are."

John pushed off his covers and grabbed his hospital robe from the door hook, wrapping it around himself. He put on his slippers and sauntered on over to Dave, "I'm ready!"

Dave loved how excited he looked. For once, he was actually doing something for someone else instead of being the insane douche he usually was. John's eyes were practically sparkling with the thrill of being able to go outside and feel the snow.

"All right, John, let's do this thing."


	8. Chapter 8

Dave skilfully led John down the hallway of the hospital, pulling him into an empty room every so often when a nurse walked by. "We're almost there. Just down the stairs and the front doors will be in view."

"Isn't there a nurse behind the front desk?" John asked, a frown forming on his delicate face.

"Yes, but since I've been here so much, I've noticed she has a routine. Every day at around this time she'll go make a phone call that lasts no longer than ten minutes, so we have to be quick."

"I wonder who she calls," John said.

Dave only shrugged, "It doesn't matter; as long as she's gone." He took John's hand and raced them down the hall, past numerous rooms and doctors that paid them no attention. Dave stopped running when they reached the bottom of the stairs and turned to see John rather out of breath. "You okay, man?"

"Y-yeah," he smiled weakly, "just a bit tired. I don't get much exercise."

For the little twig he was, Dave wondered how that was possible. He peered around the corner and glanced at the front desk. The nurse was nowhere in sight. "Okay, the coast's clear. Let's go."

The two make a break for the front door. Dave pushed it open quickly and held it until John managed to run out. "We made it!" John smiled, coughing the slightest bit. "Boy, it's chilly."

"Well, it's snowing," Dave chuckled. "Of course it's cold."

"I like it," John said. "The snow… It's very pretty."

"Isn't it?" Dave said. The snow was something he loved to see come around, especially since he lived in such a hot place for a large part of his life. Skaian winters were particularly delightful. "Here," Dave walked over to John and took his hands, turning his palms toward the sky. "If you hold your hands out you can feel the snow on your skin. It's one of the things that I like the most about winter."

John closed his eyes. His face looked so peaceful, like he didn't have a care in the world. Dave frowned slightly, feeling strange about the moment. What was he doing, exactly? He just took a sick boy out of the hospital, but it was for something he wanted, so it wasn't bad, right? It wasn't like he did it against John's will.

John walked further out into the hospital yard. Dave followed him slowly, making sure he was safe. John spun around and let out a soft chuckle, "Dave, I really like the snow."

Dave couldn't help but smile. This was definitely the right thing to do, without a doubt. Seeing John so happy was like a huge reward for dealing with the shitty community service he continued to suffer through.

But there was something strange in Dave's stomach, almost like a fluttering sensation, that only occurred when he was around John, whether it be John's smile, his laugh or just his voice, the fluttering continued. Dave didn't know what it could mean, but then he thought about what his blind friend said to him.

'_Dave Strider, are you in love?'_

Was he? He didn't think it was love. It couldn't be, right? John was a guy, after all. It was just a bromance.

John turned to him, with now opened eyes. He was almost glowing against the white background of crystal snow. "Dave, what's with that look?"

Dave hadn't realized he was making such a strange face until John pointed it out. He jumped, shaking his head, "No, sorry, it's nothing." He said this, but he couldn't help but wonder if he should do something about his strange feeling. Could anything even be done about it? Dave wasn't sure if he even minded the feeling. It was kind of nice.

John walked over grabbing Dave's hands, "Feel my hands! They're so cold," he laughed. He laughed like he was excited, thrilled and seeing the world for the first time outside of the medical prison he lived at. Dave didn't know what possessed him to pull this next move—maybe it was seeing how excited he'd made John, but Dave waited until he closed his eyes again to feel the snow and then bent over and pressed his lips to the pale boy's forehead. It was nothing big, just a small peck, but it made the fluttering in Dave's stomach burst with emotion.

_Shit,_ Dave thought, _I think I am in love…_ When he pulled back to brace himself for John's reaction, he was surprised. John's eyes were wide and his cheeks were turning light pink, but only seconds later his eyes softened and his lips formed into a small smile. "What was that for?"

"I don't know," Dave confessed. He really didn't know what he was doing. "I guess I just had to."

John laughed softly, "You just had to? Well… what if I just have to do this," and with one quick movement, John stood up on his tiptoes and pressed his chilled lips to Dave's much warmer ones, closing any and all space between them. At first, Dave was frozen with surprise, but when the fluttering in his stomach came back, he wrapped one arm around John and cupped his chin with the other, kissing him back full force.

This was exactly what Dave needed. Exactly what he wanted. Now, with John under the glow of the snowfall, Dave had never felt so content. The two broke apart and Dave wrapped both arms around John, pulling him close and offering his warmth.

"I feel lightheaded," John whispered. "I've never… actually been the one to do that before."

Dave smiled, "I can imagine that, to be honest." He pulled back and chuckled, "You're not exactly the most upfront person."

John flushed red, "Oh, whatever. It's fine…"

Dave looked at the boy in front of him. He was shivering and Dave couldn't keep holding him. He figured it was about time to go inside. "What's say we head back in and then talk about what just happened?"

John nodded, still red in the cheeks, "Yes, that sounds pretty reasonable."

Dave took his hand and started leading him back to the doors when John suddenly stopped, jerking Dave back. "Whoa man, what's wrong?"

"Something's… a bit weird," John said, faltering.

"What's wrong?" Dave was worried now. Everything had been fine a moment ago, but John was sick and sick boys should not go playing in the snow.

"I feel…" John stumbled back, weak knees giving in and he fell to the ground. His breathing hitched, causing him to absentmindedly clutch at his chest. Dave quickly bent down next to him, not caring at all that he was becoming soaked with snow—John was in a far worse position.

"John! John!" Dave cursed the minute he brought up this silly little venture. It was so stupid of him! "John, what's wrong?" he yelled, panicked.

"Get—the—doctor—please," John breathed, barely able to finish the sentence. "Oh… God, my chest…"

Dave had no choice. He had to face up to what he'd done. He couldn't ignore this.

Picking up John carefully, he held him close and raced inside the hospital. It was all he could do to save the boy and it wasn't enough. All he could do was hold him close and hope he would be okay and it certainly was not enough for him. If John wasn't safe, the blame would be entirely on him.

_Damn it_, Dave hissed inwardly, _John, you better be safe! After all that happened, do not give up!_


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys! Here's another short chapter. I'm still pretty sick and to top it off, I got food poisoning lmao. Oh Jesus what is happening. XD Anyway, I finally revealed John's illness in this chapter, so enjoy!**

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><p>"Dave, what the hell were you thinking?" Ms. Lalonde yelled at her son as he sat in front of her in the kitchen. She had been yelling the same question over and over again, but he hadn't answered her. Hell, he didn't <em>know <em>what he was thinking.

"Dave, answer me!" she yelled again. "What kind of mind were you in! Are you doing drugs again?"

Dave rolled his eyes; she had no right to tell him that. After all, who was the one wobbling around the house, drunk out of her mind? Certainly not Dave. "Jesus, I'm fucking sorry, alright? Get off my case!" he shot up from the kitchen seat and brushed past her, heading upstairs. He could hear her yelling after him, but he didn't care. He was horribly anxious and just wanted to sleep it all off.

John had a high fever; that was why he collapsed. That was what the nurse told him. When they had brought him inside, he was sure he'd heard the nurse say the collapse was going to give him bruises. He didn't fall that hard, Dave thought wearily. But… there was something else Dave heard while they were practically pushing him out of the hospital—something he didn't quite understand.

He had heard the word before; knew it wasn't good, but he never knew what could happen because of it. If he did, he never would have taken John outside. Never.

A knock on his door forced him to come out of his angst. "What?" he practically snapped.

"It's me," Dave recognized Jade's voice anywhere. "Can I come in?"

Dave sat down on the edge of his bed, "Yeah, sorry."

She gently pushed the door open, peeking her head through. She was wearing her hair up today, Dave noticed. He remembered complimenting her when they were still together, about how her hair looked nice when it was up. "Dave, I heard about what happened," she said, entering his room and standing by the door.

"Yeah, it seems everyone has. Bad news travels fast."

She walked over to the bed, sitting down next to him, "It wasn't your fault."

"Yes it was," Dave leaned forward, frustrated, pulling off his shades and rubbing his eyes.

Jade put a comforting hand on his shoulder, "It wasn't. I don't care how much you think it is, it isn't and never was your fault. You couldn't have known that about the patient. You couldn't have unless he told you. Did he tell you?"

"No," Dave sighed, "but I should have known. The symptoms… they always showed. He was always tired, weak, and every time I visited him, he seemed like he was getting thinner. I should have known."

"Dave, there are a lot of diseases that those symptoms can come from. Leukemia isn't the only one," she extended her arm, pulling him closer. He rested his head on her shoulder, sighing.

"He could have died."

"But he didn't."

"You don't know that… I don't even know that. As we speak, he could be dying."

"Stop thinking like that, Dave. He survived all this time with chronic leukemia, okay? It's not acute—he has a chance of surviving a while, right?"

"Because that makes me feel so much better," Dave said.

"It should! You took him in as soon as he collapsed, right? Dave, I'm sure he's absolutely fine." Jade pulled Dave back up into sitting position and stood up in front of him. "Don't even think about going back to the way you were before, okay? You can't help these things. This is the doings of the world, not you. The last thing I want to see from you if moping around blaming everything on yourself."

"I know," Dave said. "You always tell me that."

"I always tell you that because it's true!" she smiled, heading back to the door. "Rose and I are going out to watch a movie. Do you want to come? It'll help get your mind off of things."

"No thanks. I think I'm just going to sleep it off," he said.

"Alright, well… take care," she smiled softly, but behind her eyes were a world of worry. She knew how easily Dave could go back to the way he was before—smoking, drinking… but Dave wasn't that person anymore. Why did no one believe him? Sure, he was still a jerk sometimes and he gave everyone a hard time, but he wasn't about to lose everything all over again.

When Jade was gone, Dave did his usual routine: brushing his teeth, changing into his boxers and taking a piss… but with one added item.

Dave never prayed. Never. When he saw people praying, he would usually laugh and think that those prayers will never be answered. But today was different. If there was a God out there, Dave would pray to it. He bent down on the side of his bed and mumbled, "Okay, Jesus or God or whoever the hell is up there, here's the deal: I made a mistake today. A huge ass mistake and to be honest, I'm worried about what the outcome will be. I know I don't usually do this kind of shi… I mean, thing, but if you are up there, can you do me a solid and make sure that John Egbert of Skaia Hospital is okay? Thanks… Oh and, uh, Amen and all that."

He pulled himself back onto his bed and let out a long sigh. Tomorrow he was going to be back at Skaia, probably getting yet another lecture from his probation officer and the nurses. He would just have to face up to it.

Dave wasn't sure which he was more upset about: the fact that he had caused this for John or the fact that he might not be able to see John ever again.


	10. Chapter 10

**Heyy! This is actually a really short chapter because it's purely conversation between John and Jade. Pretty much anyway, lol. In which Jade gets an idea.  
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><p>Weeks and weeks past. Winter turned to Spring and the snow melted, leaving beautiful flowers in its place. Dave hadn't visited John since the incident and he wasn't sure he ever would again. He spent the majority of his time in his room, brooding. When Jade or Rose came up asking if he wanted to go to lunch or for a walk, he just shook his head and went back to his thoughts.<p>

Jade and Rose were both very worried. Dave had been at his worst since that horrible day and nothing they did seemed to make him any better. Jade tried to get him to go visit the hospital again, but he refused. He said, "After what I did, John won't want to see me again."

So she took matters into her own hands.

She knocked on the door in the hospital hallway, bracing herself for what she might see.

"Come in." It wasn't more than a whisper and Jade wasn't sure if she even heard him right, but she gently pushed the door open and peered inside.

"Hello, John?"

He smiled at her, "Are you Jade?"

She was surprised he'd know her name. Did Dave talk about her? "Yes, that's me!" she smiled in return.

John motioned for her to come inside and she did, closing the door behind her and taking a seat on the chair beside John's bed. "Um, I know you don't know me very well, but I came in Dave's place."

"He still won't come?" he frowned, turning his gaze to the window. The sun was shining bright and the grass was a healthy green. Flowers were blooming and the sky was blue, but this cheerful mood didn't affect John because he couldn't be outside to feel it. After the incident in Winter, the nurses had been extra cautious with him lately and he hated it.

"I'm afraid not. He thinks you'll blame him for everything. I told him you wouldn't, but he still won't come. He's scared," she replied.

John sighed, "It wasn't his fault. He couldn't have known that would happen…. I want him to visit again. The only other person that visits me is my dad. I don't go out much, so I don't have a lot of friends," he smiled sheepishly.

"Do you get lonely?" Jade asked, unsure if that was appropriate, but she had to try.

He chuckled softly, "Yes, sometimes, but I try not to let it bother me. I'm still alive, right? I'm still alive, so there's still a chance I'll get better and get out of this place."

"What about that bone marrow transplant? I read about it online. Can't it cure you?" Jade said.

"I don't have anyone that's… compatible, I guess, with me, so it's not a possibility now," John said.

"Ah…" Jade frowned. "Well, there's a website for people online that need transplants. Maybe we could look on there and—"

John placed his hand over Jade's and she stopped talking. He smiled gently and said, "I appreciate it, but it's okay. If it happens, then it happens."

Jade wished there was something else she could do for the boy. He was a huge source of Dave's happiness for a while and she could see why. He was sweet, kind and gentle—a good soul. He didn't deserve to have this illness. He didn't deserve to die.

"Keep fighting," Jade said.

He nodded, "I'll never stop!"

Jade giggled, "Good. I guess I'd better get going. Maybe I'll bring Rose to visit you someday."

"Dave's sister?"

"Mhm! She's very sweet," Jade said.

"I'll look forward to meeting her!"

Jade stood up, brushing down her jean skirt. "Well, it was nice getting to chat with you. I'll try my hardest to get Dave to come visit you!" She didn't plan on leaving so soon, but she had to check something out—something important.

John nodded, "You as well! Please visit again sometime soon."

"Will do, John," she said, walking back to the door. She turned back to give him a little wave before exiting his room and scurrying down the hall. She had to check something; something important that could possibly save Dave from his self hate and save John from his pain.


	11. Chapter 11

Jade had run around a lot that day, but it wasn't for nothing. She and Rose had done something fantastic and she was thrilled. Talk about doing your daily good deed; with what she'd just done, it was enough to suffice the entire year. That's what she thought, anyway.

"Rose, how has Dave been?" Jade asked as the two girls walked down the street toward their respective houses. They'd lived beside each other since they could remember; it made everything so much more convenient.

"He still won't come out of his room. He doesn't eat much either; it's rather worrying," she replied, with a hint of fear in her voice. "Things were starting to look up for him… but then, you know, the incident happened."

"Yeah," Jade frowned, "but don't worry, things will look up… They have to, right?"

Rose nodded, "They do."

The sun was shining bright that day and the weather was warm with a cool breeze. It was a happy day—a really happy day. Flowers of all colors were lined up neatly against the grass and around the pond, shaded by the tall green trees. It was a truly beautiful sight and it made Jade very happy. She almost wished she could live in this moment forever.

"Okay, you know the plan, right, Rose?" Jade said, stopping in front of their houses.

"Yep!" she smiled. "We can do this, no problem."

"I want to thank you again for doing this. Especially for someone you hardly know. It means a lot to me, and to him," Jade smiled in return.

Rose laughed softly, brushing back her short blond hair. "I know, I'm glad to help. Don't give it a second thought, okay?"

"You're not scared?"

"Maybe a little, but it's nothing I can't overcome."

Jade gave her friend a warm hug, "You're the best!"

Rose hugged her back, jokingly saying, "I know~!"

The two parted ways and returned to the inside of their respective homes. Rose walked up the stairs and knocked on Dave's door. "Dave, are you inside?"

"What do you want, Rose?" she heard from the inside. His voice was hoarse and tired. She pushed open the door and peeked inside. Dave was lying on his back on the floor, reading a magazine. His sunglasses were pushed up over his forehead, revealing tired, bloodshot eyes. Rose frowned, "Have you been in here all day?"

"Yep," he replied, without emotion.

Rose sighed. She knew Dave was getting sick of her constantly peeking in, asking if he'd done anything or how he was doing. She knew she had to give him space, but she was too worried. He'd been through all this before and she didn't want it for him, not after all he'd suffered though.

"Are you planning on leaving your room?" she asked.

"Nope," he said, once again, without emotion.

Rose shut the door. Dave was far too angry to deal with right then and frankly, knowing what she was about to face made her not want to even more. She was a bit worried, but it was worth it to see Dave smile again.

She didn't really know John. The only time she'd met him was that very day, when Jade took her up to meet him. She liked him a lot. If ever there was a sweeter boy, she had yet to find him.

John was a cheerful guy, despite his illness and Rose was happy to see that. She was glad to see that he hadn't lost hope; that he was still fighting. It brightened up her day.

She walked down the stairs and spotted her mom in the kitchen, martini in hand. She rolled her eyes, "Mother, how many of those have you had today?"

"Whaaaat?" her mom hiccupped, "three. Only five, sweetie… Eight isn't that much, duhhhh…!" she replied, practically drooling she was so drunk. For a brief while, when Dave was happily visiting his hospital buddy, she hadn't been drinking much. It hurt her to see that because Dave had gotten depressed again, she started drinking again.

"Why don't you give me that?" Rose grabbed the glass from her hand and dumped the remainder in the sink. She steered her mother down the hallway, toward her room and said, "Go to sleep. You need it."

Her mother didn't argue, to Rose's happy surprise. She simply dragged herself into her room, shutting the door behind her. She must have really been exhausted. Over everything that happened, Rose understood.

She went back to the kitchen and sat down. "Wow," she let out a long sigh. "I can't believe we're really doing this… More importantly, I can't believe she's letting us."

She stood back up quickly, racing up the stairs to her room. She was really anxious and she was going in tomorrow, so she had to be prepared for what she would face. She pulled out her laptop and sat on top of her bed, opening her search engine. "Alright," she mumbled, and searched up '_How badly do bone marrow transplants hurt?'_


	12. Chapter 12

**Hi guys! I know this is a quick update, but I felt like writing today. Finally, a chapter that it over 900 words, lmao. I hope you guys enjoy. :B**

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><p>A day or had passed and Rose had not bothered Dave since. Of course, he was pleased about the silence, but he couldn't help feel a twinge of worry. He hadn't exactly been nice to her the last time they spoke and now she hadn't talked to him for so long.<p>

Next time she came up to ask him if he was eating dinner, he planned to accept since he'd gotten so hungry. Not eating can do that to someone. But since she hadn't come up, he got off his ass and pushed open his door. "Rose?" he called, "you home?"

No answer.

"Rose?" he called again. Still no answer. By this time, his worry grew. He sped down to his mother's room, knocking furiously, "Mom?"

No answer. No answer. No answer. No matter how much he knocked, he got no answer. He pushed the door wide open and glanced around anxiously. His mother was nowhere to be found. He was actually relieved at this fact because at least she wasn't answering because she'd overdosed or something worse. If she wasn't here, she was probably out with Rose, but where? That was the question.

Dave retreated to the kitchen, now calmer. He pulled out a box of Derse O's from the cupboard. They were kid's cereal but he had always liked them. He poured them out into a bowl and grabbed the milk from the fridge, sitting down at the table. He hadn't realized how lonely it was until he was sitting down at the table. In the past, when he would join Rose and his mom, dinners were eaten together. Occasionally Jade would join them as well and they would have fun. They chatted about many things as they ate great food cooked by mostly Rose and his mother. A soft smile came to his face as he remembered those times. His Bro was a pretty horrible cook. There was never anything in the fridge but swords from his gangs and creepy puppets lying about. He liked to eat with Rose and his mom, but just being with his Bro was fine with him too. They joked, rapped together and make sick beats. His Bro taught him how to fight and that was a lesson Dave wouldn't soon forget.

It was hot outside. Summers in Skaia were very hot. Dave and his Bro had been out in a training field outside Lan's Dojo for hours without a pause. Dave had learned valuable techniques that day and he learned how to sneak up on his enemies without getting caught.

Fighting with his Bro was fun.

His smile faded as he remembered the blood—the dead body lying in front of him. He shook his head, staring down at the cereal. He wasn't really hungry anymore, but all this not eating really was taking a toll on his body, so he figured he'd better do it.

He took a bite and squeezed his eyes shut as he swallowed. Eating was hard when you wanted to choke with sobs.

Eventually, Dave had managed to finish his cereal, although it had taken him so long that the remnants were soggy as hell. He stood up and put the bowl in the sink. What did he want to do? He didn't know, but he needed to get out of his stuffy house. He felt like he was suffocating from all the horrible memories.

But they weren't all bad. The memory of Jade and Rose bursting in on him while he was trying to take a shit still haunted him, but when he thought about it, he couldn't help but laugh. They needed a third opinion, Rose said, and Dave was who they thought of first. Dave didn't even know what they were arguing about and he never got to know, because the moment they barged in, he'd let out a shriek—a manly shriek and the girls giggled and laughed. They asked him about his opinion, but Dave was too preoccupied trying to cover his manhood that he didn't hear.

"_Maybe you didn't notice," he'd said, "but I'm trying to use the bathroom here!"_

Rose and Jade just looked at him as if they didn't care, but he eventually managed to make them leave. That very day was why Dave always locked his bathroom door, even when he was alone at home. He really didn't feel like taking any more chances.

There were more memories though, like sorting through Christmas presents, learning how to cook a Valentine's cake with Rose for Jade, laughing over sitcoms, watching their neighbours from the back window as he was dragged around by his monstrous dog.

They were all good memories. Even the bad ones, Dave decided, he wouldn't get rid of, because all of them—all the good moments, all the pain, all the joy and all the sadness made him who he was today. Someone strong.

He was strong. He knew he was because if he wasn't, he would have died long ago.

A ring from the doorbell brought him out of his thoughts. He looked toward the door, not really wanting to move, but it could have been Rose and his mom returning. He walked over to it and pulled it open. Even though he was wearing shades, the light was still strong. Probably because he'd been cooped up in his room for hours on end.

"Dave!" the voice that greeted him was an overly cheerful one. Jade.

"What are you doing here?" he answered, not trying to sound rude.

"I have something to show you!" she smiled brightly. She turned to her side and rummaged through her bag, "It's in here somewhere…"

Dave stood at the door, awkwardly waiting for her to find whatever it was that she was looking for. "Jade, I don't mean to be rude, but if you're—" before he could finish, she jumped and yelled, "I found it!" She was holding a blank little card.

"What's that?" Dave asked.

"It's for you. You're going to decorate it," Jade said with a bright smile.

"What?" Dave made a face. He was really not in the mood for whatever she was going on about.

"It's going to be a Get Well Soon card," she answered.

"Oh, Christ," Dave sighed. "Is this another ploy to get me to visit the hospital?"

"I'm not tricking you, Dave," Jade's smile was softer now. "It's Rose. She's in the hospital."

Behind dark shades, Dave's eyes widened. He felt his stomach drop. Jade continued, "Your mother is with her now and she's fine; she's awake, so you need to make her a card."

Dave looked at her like she was insane, "Make her a card? I should go visit her!"

Jade shook her head, "Dave, just trust me, okay?"

Dave didn't know what to think. Of course, Jade was one of the smartest people he knew, so if she said something, he wanted to believe her, but this… He was so confused. "How did she get there? Is she hurt?"

"No," Jade giggled, "She's going to be absolutely fine. Actually, she did something fantastic."

"Fantastic?" Dave raised an eyebrow. He was relieved to hear she was fine, but what was it that she did?

"While it's going to take her a while to recover, she did something really great," Jade was very happy and Dave had no idea why. "Are you going to decorate that card or not?"

Dave sighed, rubbing his temples, "Alright, I'll do it." He stepped aside, motioning for her to come in. She skipped inside and over to the kitchen table. She noticed the opened Derse O's box and sighed, "Really Dave?"

"There was nothing else to eat," he mumbled.

"Call me next time, silly. I'll cook for you, you know I'd be happy to," she said.

He nodded, "I'll remember that."

The two sat across from each other as Jade pulled out a variety of colored markers, glitter glue and stickers. "This has to be beautiful, so put lots of effort into it," Jade said.

"Right, okay, but what exactly did Rose do that was so great?" Dave wondered, still not putting the pieces together.

Jade giggled, "You'll see in time."

Dave sighed, "Yeah, yeah." The two continued to pick out different items to decorate the card with until they were completely done. They'd spend over an hour on it, but it was well worth it. The end product did look smashing.

"It looks fantastic," Jade said. "We can give it to her, shall we go?"

"What? Now?" Dave was stunned. It was all so sudden. "Can we visit her?"

"Of course. After this operation, most people can go home afterward, but Rose is staying a bit longer because she has a pretty weak stomach," Jade said.

"O…kay," Dave said, still very confused. "Let's go, then. I want to see her."

So, go they did. The two friends hopped aboard the bus and drove down to the Skaia Hospital. Dave waited anxiously for the bus to stop and when it did, he and Jade bolted out and into the hospital lobby. Jade walked up to the receptionist and acquired Rose's room number. It didn't take them long to get up there, but when they did, they saw Rose, lying on a hospital bed and Dave's mom was sitting next to her. They were smiling.

"Dave," Rose said, looking toward the door. "How nice to see you. I was wondering when you were going to get here."

"Of course I'd come," Dave said, walking up next to her. "Are you okay?"

She nodded, "I didn't feel much pain at all. I was unconscious for the most part."

"What did you do?" Dave asked. Rose looked past him at Jade, who gave a little shrug. Rose bit her lip. She didn't want to tell him just yet. She wanted him to see for himself that John was going to be okay. She wanted it so badly and if she told him what she'd done, the surprise would be ruined.

"I was a kidney donor," Rose lied. "There was a little boy with failing kidneys, so I helped him out."

"Just like that?" Dave asked.

"Yes, well, you know how I've always had a soft spot for children," she said.

"Jesus, Rose," Dave let out a huge sigh, "I was scared you know. When Jade first told me you were in the hospital, there was a moment that I thought I was going to throw up."

"Sorry for worrying you," she reached out to give his hand a small squeeze, "but I'm fine. I'll be back at home sooner than anything and I'll make you dinner."

"No," Dave said. "You can relax. You just went through surgery, for Christ's sake. I'll make you and mom dinner this time."

"You don't have to do that," their mom said.

"I want to," Dave stated firmly.

Rose and their mother exchanged joyful glances. "Alright, Jade, would you like to join us for dinner tonight?" their mother asked.

Jade smiled, "Thank you, I'd love to."

Dave thought for a moment. It was like old times. Everyone was gathering for a dinner he was going to cook them. Rose taught him how to cook basic food, but he wanted to do something better. He wanted to cook something great because he cared about these people. He cared a lot and he was an idiot for making them worry. That, he knew, but sometimes he couldn't help it. It was the way he was, but it was something he was working on.


	13. Chapter 13

**GDI,** **I don't even. This is bad XD;; I was rewatching LOST and kept getting distracted so some of this stuff may be repeated once or twice OTL||| **

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><p>"Hey, this actually looks really good, Dave," Jade giggled as Dave set the food on the table. He'd been slaving the rest of the afternoon trying to create the best food he could manage for when Rose and his mom returned and if he had to say anything, it would be that he did a pretty good job.<p>

He sat down when everything was set down. "I hope you guys like it. I worked pretty hard on it," he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. He never was a fantastic cook, but he put together what Rose and Jade had taught him using the recipes from the cookbook to make barbecued chicken, mashed potatoes and cooked asparagus.

It smelled good at least. He hoped the taste did it justice.

Everybody picked up their utensils and dug in. They made casual chat as they ate; it reminded him a lot of old times and really, it made him happy. He was happy.

He looked to the empty chair across him. Bro would have been sitting there had he still been alive. He would have been sitting there, enjoying the food and smiling. Smiling. Dave shook his head. He couldn't keep doing this to himself. He was a time bomb that was set to go off any moment he remembered something too painful about his brother. He didn't want to be that burden.

He took another bite of his chicken. It was good. He smiled in satisfaction, shaking his head again. His bro couldn't cook for shit. He would be proud.

That's it, Dave thought. He would be proud. Right now, Dave was living. He was living through his pain and suffering, but that was okay. He had thought it many times before and all those times he was right. His brother would be proud. He would ruffle his hair with Lil Cal strung over his shoulders and grin. He would say, "Good job, Dave."

"Dave, are you okay?"

Even though he had led a sick boy out into the snow without realizing what kind of toll it would take on him, he was alright. The doctors said he was going to be fine—until leukemia got him—but Dave hadn't killed him.

"Daaaaaaave?"

He wondered if not visiting John was the right thing to do. He wondered if that was okay. Did John miss him? Probably not. You wouldn't miss someone that almost killed you, would you?

"Dave!"

"What?" Dave jumped, shaking his head, "Sorry?"

Jade tilted her head to the side, "Are you okay? What were you thinking about?"

He shrugged, "Nothing really."

Rose and Jade exchanged glances. "Alright. Well, you've hardly touched your food. It's good, Dave, thanks for making it. You should finish eating too," Rose smiled.

"Right, yeah, sorry," Dave said, digging his fork into the asparagus. He was glad they were enjoying this food like they were.

A half hour later, everyone was finished eating. The occasional chit-chat with a home cooked meal made for a perfect evening in everyone's books. Including Dave.

"Maybe we should let you cook more often," Rose said, standing up to clear the table. Dave stood up quickly, motioning for her to stop.

"It's okay, I'll take care of the cleanup," he said. "You should get some sleep."

Rose looked at their mother. She nodded at her daughter, smiling and giving the okay. Rose brushed her skirt down and let out a sigh of relief. "Actually, that sounds rather nice, thank you."

Jade stood up and gave Rose a hug, "Take care."

"I will," she replied. She kissed her mom's cheek and gave Dave a little wave. "Thanks for everything you've done today. It means a lot," she said.

"Anytime," he replied. "Seriously though, until you're fully recovered, I'll take on your responsibilities."

"It's okay. It was just a little surgery," Rose said. "Don't worry too much about it."

"No, Rose, seriously, just let me help out. It's the least I can do after everything I've put you guys through," he said.

Rose let out a small laugh, "Well, alright, if you're going to be so persistent about it. Goodnight, everyone."

"Goodnight, Rose," the remaining three said in unison and Rose retreated to her bedroom upstairs.

"Well, I suppose I should be going too," Jade stood up. She grabbed her coat and slipped it on over her shirt. "Thank you for dinner."

"It was our pleasure. We love having you over," Ms. Lalonde said.

"Thank you," Jade giggled. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Dave kissed her cheek. She seemed surprised at the gesture, but smile anyway. She nodded and opened the door, shutting it behind her.

"Well, that's that. I'm going to head to sleep to," Ms. Lalonde said. She stood up and stretched her arms out. "Goodnight, Dave."

"'Night, mom."

She retreated to her bedroom, leaving Dave alone in the kitchen. By this time, the sun had set, leaving a dark blue sky. He could see stars from the window and it surprised him to think that he never stopped to look at their beauty.

He walked to the window and peered into his backyard. Clear field of grass and flowers from Rose's garden. It was beautiful. The stars were beautiful, the flowers were beautiful; life was beautiful.

He'd been having many feelings of loving the world lately that he didn't quite understand. Especially considering all the things that had happened. The world was giving him another chance though and that was what he needed.

All he had left to worry about was John. Dave honestly didn't know if he would ever muster up the courage to visit him again. He didn't know if he could.

But if there was one thing he did know it was that he desperately missed him.


	14. Chapter 14

It was autumn. Time was spent again and Dave had thousands of moments where wishing he could see John was just too much for him to handle. Once he had come so close he could walk through the hospital lobby. It was in summer, near the end of August and the feeling of wanting to see his bespeckled friend was nagging at him, so he left his home and somehow ended up in front of the hospital. He was tempted to go inside, but when he looked up to the window of John's room, he saw the boy. He saw John sitting on the sill and staring out at the sky. Dave got scared. He got so scared that John would see him that he turned around and ran back as fast as he could.

But John wasn't an idiot. The few times he did try to visit the hospital, John had seen. The odd time Rose and Jade went to visit him, he gave them a message.

"Dave," Jade had said. "John says he can see you. He says if you're trying to be inconspicuous then you shouldn't come to the front of the building."

Dave was very embarrassed to say the least. But that was in summer and now it was autumn—October, to be specific and the decorations for Halloween were being put up around the town. The leaves were orange, yellow and red, falling from the trees and making huge piles that the neighbouring kids would jump into, screaming and laughing. Dave smiled when he saw them having so much bright, smiling faces reminded him of John.

It had been over 100 days since he'd last seen him. One hundred fucking days.

Oh, but he had sent letters occasionally. On days that he had all his confidence, he would write little letters to let John know that he did care, even if Dave thought he didn't want to see him.

"Hang the witch on the door," Rose pointed to the green faced witch sticking out of their Halloween box. It was the night before Halloween and their mother had told them to start decorating.

"Got it," he said, grabbing the witch out of the box and hanging it on the hook outside.

"I love witches!" a familiar giggle caused Dave to look back at the driveway. There Jade stood with her usual bright smile and big circular glasses. She was wearing pointed fluffy dog ears and a long hooded robe with striped stockings and bright red shoes.

"What are you supposed to be?" Dave chuckled.

"I'm a witch!" she skipped up to the two siblings. "Can't you tell?"

"What witch has dog ears?" Rose commented curiously.

"My witch," Jade grinned. "Anyway, Dave, I have another message for you. I was just at the hospital, so I'm sure you can imagine what it's about."

Dave sighed softly. He hated hospitals so, so much. "What's the message?"

"He says that he saw you yesterday again and it bugs him that all you do is stand outside. He wants you to come in," Jade said, inspecting the witch on the Lalonde-Strider's door.

"I know he does. You always tell me that, but I told you, I feel too bad about it," Dave said. "In any case, it's fine as it is now. I write to him and you give me his replies. That's fine."

"Not if you love someone it's not," Jade's voice was more serious now and Dave could swear he felt his heart stop. How did she know that? Jade smiled softly, "I can see it when he talks about you, Dave. The light in his eyes, the blush in his cheeks and that shy smile that appears when he mentions your name. He loves you."

Dave was frozen in space. He couldn't move.

Rose straightened up and looked at Dave. "She's right, you know. I can see it as well. He cares deeply about you and I know you must care about him too. So, go visit him, please, for both of your sakes."

Dave looked at her with widened eyes hidden behind dark shades. "You don't know what you're talking about…"

"Of course we do, Dave! We're girls!" Jade put her hands on her hips. "Don't tell us we don't know what we're talking about. You're being pathetic, you silly goose. Quit being lame and do what you have to do. Rose and I know what we're talking about. We've both experienced intense like for someone and I know you know the feeling." She seemed almost sad as she was giving him advice to move on and go for John, but Jade was a kind-hearted person and she wanted what was best for Dave. The love she had once felt for the teenager was still there, but it was calmer and more tolerable. She just wanted him to be happy.

Dave bit his lip, unsure of what to say. It was too late for visiting hours now, but maybe he should. Maybe he would. No, he couldn't. Could he?

"Promise me you'll go visit him one last time. At least do him that much. You owe it to him," Jade said. Dave knew he did. He knew that.

"We will go with you tomorrow morning," Rose said.

"Tomorrow morning?" Dave managed to squeak.

"Yes!" Jade pointed at him, "No objections."

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><p>So, morning came.<p>

Rose was awake bright and early. It was Halloween, so she shuffled down to the grocery to buy some discount candy for the children. Their house was decorated all around with witches and wizards—mostly wizards and they had carved pumpkins when they went in late last night that were now sitting out on the steps. The tall tree in their front yard was shedding its leaves and the cool autumn air blew around the town. The neighborhood smelled like bonfires and it was a fantastic smell.

Dave was awake. He'd barely slept a tick last night because he was so nervous. He shoved on his favorite red sweater and checked his watch. It was nine in the morning. John's visiting hours were anywhere from now until evening.

He headed down the stairs; the smell of pancakes and bacon wafted around the house. Dave didn't realize he was drooling until Rose looked at him and let out a small laugh. "Hungry?" she said.

He wiped his mouth and nodded, "Yes, please."

She got out two plates and gave Dave two pancakes and four pieces of bacon. She set the maple syrup on the table and handed him a fork. "Enjoy," she smiled.

"Thanks, Rose," he said, almost immediately digging in. Rose's cooking… he loved it so much. After she'd come home from the hospital, he'd spent the month cooking for them, even though she insisted she could do it. He'd begun to like cooking so now they regulated. On Mondays, Rose cooked, one Tuesdays, Dave cooked and so on.

She sat down, joining him for breakfast. They ate in silence, only occasionally speaking up when they had something to say.

When they were done, Rose took the plates and utensils, putting them into the dishwasher. She turned to her brother and said, "Okay, Jade's waiting. Are you ready?"

"I guess," he mumbled. Rose grabbed his arm and headed out the door, locking it behind them. She left a note for their mother on the fridge just in case they weren't back by the time she woke up.

They walked next door and knocked on Jade's door. She answered seconds later, as if she was waiting for them right on the other side. "It's about time! Let's go, go, go!" she raised her arms up happily.

Dave wasn't sure this was the best idea there was, but he admitted he was excited. He may have been more anxious than he'd been since he could remember, but he was excited. Maybe this time he could make it inside the hospital without retreating because of anxiety.


	15. Chapter 15

**Sorry for the wait! I was moving and had no internet!**

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><p>The three of them rode the metro bus to the hospital. The air was cool and crisp and the scent of pumpkin spice filled the air. Halloween was right around the corner and that showed as kids were running around the town giggling and talking about how much candy they were going to get or what kind of costume they would wear. It almost made Dave jealous of their childhood innocence, but he wasn't thinking about that now. Right now, he was going to visit someone he loved in the hospital, even though he hadn't seen him for more than 100 days.<p>

Rose was holding his left hand and Jade was holding his right; they were both dragging him along and into the building much to his worry. "Come on, Dave, don't be silly!" Jade said. "This will be good for the both of you, so just relax!"

"She's right," Rose said. "Don't worry too much about it."

They walked up to the hallway John's room was located in and stopped in front of his door. "Well, here we are," Jade said. "You ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Dave replied.

Rose knocked on the door, "Hello, John?"

No answer.

Rose and Jade exchanged confused glances. Jade took her turn to knock and once again, Rose called, "John, are you there?" but there was still no answer.

By this time, Dave's heart was beating so fast he was sure it would pop out of his chest at any minute. Jade pushed the door open. It wasn't locked, so she flung it wide to reveal and empty room. There were no humans in the room at all. No movement. No bodies. Nothing.

"Where is he?" Dave almost whispered.

"I… don't know," Jade frowned. "I don't know where he is."

Rose turned quickly to a passing nurse. "Excuse me, do you know where the boy in this room went to?"

The nurse looked at her, frowning, "I'm sorry, he's gone now." She gave Dave a quick glance, then left.

"Gone?" his eyes widened. "What, like dead? He's dead? John's dead?" he pressed his hands to his head and squeezed his eyes shut. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"You don't know that," Jade panicked, raising her arms. "He might have left! He probably got better and left the hospital, right, Rose?" she looked to her friend for some help.

Rose nodded, "She's right, Dave. Don't panic over nothing. Gone could mean any number of things."

Dave cleared his throat and let out a shaky sigh, "Right… I know that… but…" This time seemed more different. Why was God doing this to him? He'd finally set out to visit John only to find that he wasn't even there anymore. What luck is that? Was the universe trying to tell him something? Were they not meant to be together?

"Come on, let's go home," Rose gave him a comforting smile. "I'll make you some soup and we can sit and watch a movie, okay? We'll get your mind off of it."

"That's not right!" Dave blurted out. "I don't want to forget! I don't want to get my mind off of it!" The realization was flooding into his head at that moment, and true panic started to set in. "Rose, Jade, I don't want to forget! I want to see him! I want to hold him! God damn it, I need to hear his voice again!" With that, he took one last glance at the two shocked girls and turned around, stomping out of the hospital. The other two didn't stop him. They knew he had to get it out of his system. They knew.

.0o0o0.

Dave was angry. He wondered if he was angrier at himself then he was at Jack Noir for killing his brother. He suspected the two were pretty well tied.

He shoved his hands in his pockets as he exited the building. He saw orange and yellow leaves flying all around him; children giggling, parents smiling and bringing back groceries that undoubtedly held giant bangs of candy and pop. He saw teenagers his own age with bags of toilet paper and rolled his eyes wondering if they had anything better to do than tipi someone's home.

He glanced down at his feet and watched leaves blow over his sneakers. They were pretty, but he was too angry to enjoy their beauty. If John was there, he would definitely be smiling. He would laugh and probably pick up one of the flowers and… Dave shook his head, trying to be free of the thought. How did it come to be like this? How did Dave come to like this guy so much?

Deep within his thoughts, he kept walking forward, not hearing the voice telling him to stop.

"Ouch!" someone stumbled to the ground in front of him.

Dave snapped out of his thoughts and gasped, "Ah, sorry. I wasn't paying att—"

The person cut him off, "Don't worry about it, Dave."

"How do you know my name?" he raised an eyebrow. The man in front of him was an older guy who looked to be in his late forties. He was wearing a white hat and holding an old fashioned pipe between his lips.

The man smiled, "Well, I was actually sent to look for you. I recognized you right away. If I was wrong it would have been a bit awkward though, so I'm glad it was you after all."

Dave took a step back, "Who sent you?"

"My son," he said. "Someone I believe you know very well. In any case," he handed Dave a slip of paper, "take this. Read it and do with it what you may." He gave the teenager a salute and turned back.

Dave stared at the slip of paper and, unfolding it, he read its contents.

_Dear Dave,_

_I figure this is just about the only way we're ever going to get to meet again! I couldn't find you anywhere so I sent my dad on his way to work. I was pretty sure he'd be able to find you. He doesn't want me leaving the house much if I can help it! Well… meet me at this address, okay? _

_12 Prospit Avenue._

The sender didn't sign their name, but Dave had a fluttery feeling he knew who it was. He quickly memorized the address and shoved the paper in his pocket, booking it down the street. He knew where Prospit Avenue was. He knew exactly where he was going.

It wasn't far from where he was so it only took him moments to arrive running. He scanned the homes for their numbers, locating twelve and dashing up the front stairs. His heart was beating fast, his palms were sweating and he was breathing rather loud—nearly panting.

He rang the doorbell and waited. Waited. Waited. Waited. Waited. Waited.

It felt like nearly eight hours, but was probably only seconds when the boy answered the door. He was wrapped in a blanket, black hair disheveled and messy, glasses lopsided and still in his pajamas, which had little creatures with candy corn horns on them—festive for Halloween. He was caught in mid yawn, blushing from embarrassment. He lifted a hand to give Dave a little wave, but didn't get the chance. Dave nearly leaped forward, wrapping his arms around him tightly as little bubbly tears formed at his eyes. "John," he whispered, "it's you."

John returned the hug, letting the blanket drop to the ground below them. They stayed like that for a good few minutes before breaking apart. Dave gave John a once over, making sure he was really there and that he was okay. "I can't believe you're okay… I went to visit you but the nurse said you were gone."

"Yeah, I left a few mornings ago," he smiled. "Rose's transplant was a success. She cured me!" he let out a small laugh. "I really appreciate what she did."

"What?" Dave's eyes widened again. "That's what her surgery was for?" His breath was nearly knocked out of him.

"You didn't know?" he cocked his head to the side. "Was she keeping it a secret? I'm sorry I spoiled it, then…"

Dave shook his head, pulling John into another hug, "Don't be." He thought he would have to give Rose a really huge thank you when he got home. He smiled at the thought, rubbing away all loose tears and bent down to pick the blanket back up. He wrapped it around John, "I don't want you to get sick again."

"That wasn't your fault," John frowned.

"Yeah, well," he shrugged slightly. "I think I'm finally ready to move past it… I think."

"Good," John said, ushering him inside and shutting his front door. "I'm glad you got my note. Did my dad get it to you okay?"

"Yeah," Dave replied. "He did." He turned to face John again. He still looked pale and tired, but he was more alive. He didn't look like he was dying anymore and Dave was unbelievably happy to see that.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" John chuckled.

"Sorry, I'm just really happy to see you. I'm sorry I didn't visit."

"You did though. You may not have come inside, but you still visited me and I appreciated it," John said.

Dave nodded and John walked up to him, holding the blanket closely to his body. "All that stuff that happened the day we went out to the snow… not the bad things, I mean, the good things. We didn't get a chance to properly talk about it."

Dave remembered the kisses and felt a blush creep onto his cheeks. "Right, yeah, I guess we should then, huh?" He rubbed the back of his neck and turned around, worry returning.

"Well, I'm happy," John said. "That you felt that way about me made me really feel like there were butterflies flying around in my stomach."

"Not _felt;_ feel. I still feel that way about you," Dave said. "Since I met you, even though this sounds cliché as hell, I haven't been able to get you out of my mind. I've felt love before with someone who is still close to me, so I know what I'm feeling is the truth. I know this may be awkward, but I really just want to be next to you."

John looked down at his fluffy bunny slippers, unsure of what to say to that, but figured this would suffice: "Dave, I'd like nothing more than to have you by my side."

Dave bent forward and kissed John's cheek. "Good because now that I know you want me around, I'll make sure to never miss a visit." He held John's hands and led him to the couch, where the both of them took a seat.

John leaned on Dave's shoulder and closed his eyes. "I love you," he mumbled groggily.

Dave wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "I love you too," he said, resting his head on top of John's. He couldn't believe how happy he was. The feeling that overtook him when he saw John again was out of this world. Out of this universe even! He looked to the ceiling and thought about what his brother would say at this point. He would probably be happy. He would flash him a thumbs up and a grin, holding his sword over his shoulder just like how he used to.

Dave smiled and glanced down at John, who had dozed off. Dave had probably wakened him from a nap, but he was pleased just sitting next to him while he rested. He could make tea or something. He was good at boiling water; it was a speciality.

Or, he could sleep. Sleeping next to John and cuddling sounded like a pretty nice idea.


	16. Chapter 16

**Helo, my sweet babies 3. This is really short cuz it's just an epilogue. And that's that! This story is done! Thanks for sticking with me til the end, guys. I LUV YOUUUUUUUU.  
><strong>

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><p><strong>Two Years Later<strong>

_Dear Nana,_

_It's been two years now, since I'd gotten my surgery and since then, I've been living life to the fullest. I'm nineteen now and I'm surrounded by friends! I'll tell you about them, Nana, I'm sure if you were here, you'd love them too._

_Rose is the one who underwent surgery with me. She's so brave and strong. Without her, I don't know if I would still be living today. Whenever I see her, I smile knowing that she is the reason I am so happy. She's a great friend and she's been teaching me how to cook!_

_Jade visits me a lot and we play video games. It's a lot of fun! Last time she came over, we played for hours and made a lot of snacks. There was cookies, popcorn, ice-cream, pop… So much food I couldn't eat while I was sick! It's a lot of fun to have her around. She reminds me of a little puppy sometimes, haha._

_I've become a lot closer with my dad since my recovery. Before then, we couldn't do much together because I was never able to leave the house when I was home. The most I ever did with him was watch a movie or two before falling asleep… Now, we do everything and we make it as fun as possible! Since I've recovered, he's been baking a lot. Remember how he used to do that? He bakes so many cakes that they're practically covering the kitchen! I wonder if I'll ever get sick of them… But it makes him so happy and I'm glad he can smile again._

_There are even people I've met in the hospital that I've become good friends with! They've gotten out too, and every so often, I'll call them or they'll call me and we'll go out to a movie or play some video games. It's a lot of fun! There's Karkat, who's really angry all the time, but he's really funny too. There's Vriska, who I think might have a crush on me! And of course, I can't forget all that Ms. Lalonde has done for me. She's been so sweet and every week she comes over to have tea with my dad and check up on me. He seems to enjoy her company, too._

_Oh, Nana, there's one more person I'd like to talk to you about too…_

John sighed, content as he finished his entry to his late grandmother. Every week, he would write her a letter, hoping that maybe she would hear him wherever she was.

"John, you coming?" a call from downstairs caused him to jolt up.

"Yeah, I'll be right down," he called back, grinning ear to ear. He gave his room a once over, making sure everything was placed right. Posters of his favorite movies and actors placed around the walls, a bunny rabbit that he willingly _put back in its box_ and old letters to his grandmother on top of his desk. He was happy the way things were.

"John," the person called again, chuckling, "you dozing off or something?"

John let out a little laugh. "No, I'm coming, Dave!"

_That's right. His name's Dave and I think, next to my dad, he's the single most important person in the world to me. He's kind, gentle and has a great imagination. Even though he's suffered through things in the past, he doesn't let it consume him. I think we're similar there. We keep each other up by keeping ourselves up._

_Dave and I are nearly always together and time I spend with him is the best time in the world. He tells me all the time how happy he is that I'm well and that he can see me smile because seeing me smile makes him smile._

_I really like Dave's smile._

_What do you think, Nana? If you were here, you'd love him, I know it. Can you see him down there waiting in the kitchen? He's probably tapping his finger on the table while he waits. It's a habit, but that's okay. _

_I still love him._


	17. EXTRA !

**PARODY**

_John's eyes were tired and they burnt. He felt like if he opened them, they'd fall out of his head. For this reason, he decided it would be fine if he slept a little while longer. After all, Dave wasn't set to show up for another hour or two and the animal crackers Vriska had brought him were still on the table. He could finish eating them when he awoke from his slumber._

_Only moments after he'd fallen asleep, though, Dave sauntered inside and little did John know, no cookie in animal form was safe in Dave's hands. "I can't..." Dave hesitated, staring down at the bowl of cookies. "They're John's... But... They're cookies... in animal form!" he bit his lip. "It'll be fine if I just take one..." So take one he did, and one after that and one after that and one after that until there were none left._

_Dave was so embarrassed that he ran off without a trace and when John woke up with a hunger for some animal cookies, he noticed they were all gone. "Who would do this...?" he frowned._

_And this is the true reason Dave did not visit John for more than one hundred days._

**Just kidding you guys, here's the actual extra:**

"Hey, are you sure about this, Terezi?" Dave scratched his cheek. "This doesn't seem like something he'd be into..."

"What are you talking about, silly?" Terezi giggled, "I know he'll love it. He loves you, so that should be enough, right?" she playfully nudged him in the ribs. "Besides, the fact that you're going all out for this event shows how much you care!"

"Ah..." he looked to the door. When the moment came, Jade would run in and whisper, "Everyone hide! John's coming!" and that would be their cue to dive behind the nearest table or chair. But Dave just didn't know whether John would like this kind of thing. Over the course of years they'd been together, this was the first time Dave had set up a surprise party and it had only become an idea because of Terezi's suggestion. Jade and Rose backed her up and Dave figured it couldn't hurt to try.

He and Terezi had spent a lot of time together after she'd gotten out of the hospital and they'd become regular buddies. At first he thought it would be hard to become close with someone who couldn't see, but she was just like everyone else apart from that fact. It was surprisingly easy for her and Dave to bond over the little things and when Dave told her about John's birthday, she got all giddy and excited.

Because of John, Dave had learned to be a better person, so it was fine for him to show his gratitude in this sort of way, right? Besides, while John was sick, his birthdays hadn't been all that fun.

Dave looked at the crowd in the room. Most of them were familiar faces: John's dad, Rose, his mom, Terezi, Karkat, Jade who was currently on watch duty and Vriska, but some he'd never seen before and assumed John's dad invited them. There was the guy wearing a t-shirt with the word MAYOR on it and a little girl with blonde hair whom he'd heard John's dad call Casey.

The gifts were all set up on a table in the middle of the room and there were decorations all around and a big cake John's dad baked especially for the occasion.

Dave suddenly felt a pat on his shoulder and looked up to face just the person he was thinking about. John's dad smiled down at him, "You know, Dave," he said, still with a pipe between his lips. Dave rarely saw him without that thing. "I wasn't sure what to think when my son told me he was in love with another guy, but as I've gotten to know you, I've realized something. You don't fall in love with a gender. You fall in love with a person." He smiled again, "And you are a pretty spectacular person, young man."

Dave felt himself blush, "Th-thank you, sir."

"I can tell you care about him a lot and as long as he feels the same way, this kind of relationship is fine with me. Please continue to take care of him as you do."

"Y-yes, sir!" Dave almost felt like he should salute.

"Guys!" Jade suddenly pushed the door open, shutting it behind her. "It's John, he's coming!"

"Everyone, hide!"

"I can't wait to see the look on his face, hehe!"

"You won't be able to see it, dumbass, you're blind!"

"Ssh!"

Everyone was quiet and still. The lights were turned off and they all waited until they heard the doorknob twist open and John barged through yelling, "Dave, I have to tell you somet-" but was interrupted by the loud, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOHN!" that erupted throughout the room.

John stopped in his tracks and widened his eyes. "Whoa!"

The lights were flicked on and everyone giggled and laughed, surrounding John with love and more happy birthdays.

"He looks happy," Rose said, placing herself beside Dave.

"Yeah," he smiled. "I guess we did do the right thing."

"Of course we did," she said. "If we thought this party was going to upset him, we obviously wouldn't have had it, now would we?"

"I guess not," Dave said.

"In any case," Rose put her hands on her hips, "What are you still doing over here? He's your boyfriend."

"That's right!" Jade jumped up from behind Rose. "Go over there and see him!" she gave him a push and he paused in front of John, feeling himself blush. Somehow, he felt a little awkward.

John seemed the same. He laughed sheepishly and bit his lip.

"Happy Birthday, John," Dave said, turning to look at him.

"Thanks, Dave," John smiled.

* * *

><p>"Ah, I'm exhausted!" Dave flopped onto the couch and let out a sigh.<p>

John chuckled, "That's more people that I've seen you talk to in a month."

"Yeah, yeah," Dave smirked.

"Alright, Rose and I are going ahead." Jade turned to them once she'd gotten her sneakers on. "Since Ms. Lalonde and Mr. Egbert went off as well, that means you two will be alone~" she giggled. "Have fun!" and with that, she and Rose exited the house.

"J-Jesus Christ, what's with that?" Dave mumbled.

John grinned, "I think she's funny. I had a lot of fun today, though. Thanks again."

Dave reached forward and ruffled John's hair, giving him a kiss on the forehead. "Anytime."

"Oh, that reminds me!" John piped up. "I had to tell you something. Something really important!"

"Whoa, don't get so flustered. What's up?"

John ran to the stairs and pulled a newspaper out of his bag. "Remember the day you finally told me about your brother?" his voice was softer.

"Oh... yeah," Dave frowned slightly.

"I read this in the newspaper and I thought you deserved to know," John handed him the paper. "It's right on the front page."

Dave took the paper and scanned the titles until he came upon the one that John was obviously talking about. _Murder Case Of Gang War Years Ago Finally Solved._ "W-what?" he read the article as quickly as he could.

"You haven't been home, so you wouldn't hear if they did call you, but Jack Noir has been found guilty of murder... your brother's murder as well as the murder of three other people. They're giving him jail for life."

Nobody at Dave's home checked messages. His mother just frankly didn't care, Rose was always too busy and Dave never remembered. Even if they had received a message, he wouldn't have heard it. He suddenly felt overwhelmingly happy. His brother, the one he loved and grew up with his whole life- the one who taught him to fight, who liked sewing and ponies- was finally avenged.

Dave, no matter how angry he was, could never do anything about his murder, but now that the truth was out for everyone to see, he felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulder. He reached forward again, dropping the paper and pulling John close to him. "I'm sorry... Even though it's your birthday, You've given me the ultimate present."

John wrapped his arms around Dave as well, "Don't apologize for something so silly. I'm glad that I could be the one to deliver this paper. You've been going through this for so long. I wanted to lift that weight off your shoulder."

"Thank you. Really, thank you so much."

Wherever he was, Dave's brother was surely smiling.

**(A/N: Thanks everyone! I owed you this for being such a pain in the as author, haha! Sorry it took so long! X) If you're interested in anything else of mine, I'm working on a South Park FF right now! Read it if you like~ **

** s/8106157/1/Synchronicity**

**And visit my fictionpress account if you want to see original work :P **

** ~profe**

**If you want to request something from me, I'll be happy to think about it as long as I'm in the fandom! )**


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